FileMaker DIY Automator Course

So you'd like to learn FileMaker and automate your work?

Awesome! FileMaker is probably one of the best software in the market right now to build custom database and automate your business. But the learning process can be daunting. What should you learn first? How to set up relationships? How does scripting works?

These questions often overwhelms beginner, especially those without programming experience. Many people give up before the 30 days trial ends, or worse, they end up purchasing a copy only to left it in dust until it’s 5 versions behind.

I’m going to help you cut through the confusion - to not only learn how to create custom database using FileMaker, but also show you how to apply it into business setting quickly and improve your efficiency too!

In this course, I will walk you step by step to learn the essentials of FileMaker. With highly detailed videos, and actionable exercise files along the way, you’ll become a FileMaker DIY Automator in no time!

In my mind, a DIY Automator is a business person who is skilful enough with FileMaker to build DIY database and automate the work, all with his own hands.

Here is a example story of a (kind of) recent DIY Automator…

Year 2013, I was a junior factory manager working in an industrial district in Hong Kong. During that time, my duty was to make sure we have enough material supply to fulfil our orders next weeks. To do that, I need to work on multiple excel spreadsheets on a daily basis, but the process was painfully repetitive.

This is how it goes…

Each day, I have to collect a hand written paper from the workers. Enter the hand written info back to an excel file on the computer. Then, in another excel, I will have to calculate the in-out amount of each product. Then, in another excel, update our inventory level. Finally, I would have to open yet another excel containing next week’s order, match the demand with our stock and…

You get the picture. It’s a repetitive and redundant process.

I had to spend at least an hour everyday, working through all these data, entering the same thing twice, then attempt to retrieve data from 3 places, so I can copy and paste to an excel report that wasn’t even 100% accurate. It felt like a waste of life and energy everyday.

When I first heard about FileMaker, I was instantly hooked.

It was from a colleague in the IT department, he was visiting the factory, I mentioned about how one of my excel formula is not working, and he proceed to show me how the main office uses FileMaker to manage their data. And the moment when he shows me how he click a button, generate a beautifully formatted report. I already know this is what I need.

While he continue to explain other cool things about FileMaker, my mind was already drifting off planning how can I make similar thing for my own work.

For the next few months, I went all-in trying to learn FileMaker. Unfortunately, there are very few beginner resources out there for FileMaker, most tutorials on internet seems to be about deep topic, and if I do find a beginner one, it’s often covered with technical jargons I don’t understand.

I had to learn about FileMaker through trial and error, reverse engineering, and not to mention relentlessly calling the IT colleague for help (he’s a friendly helpful guy), I was calling him so much that one time he even had to politely ask me to not call him during the off hours…

And after a tons of trial and error, I was finally able to built a custom database, ready to replace my excel work.

I created a FileMaker app for workers to enter data on the field using an iPad, the data will automatically sync back to office database using wifi, and the in-out amount will be automatically calculated, allowing me to generate a report in one click.

I remember during the first day of this “app launch”. I hand over the iPad to the workers, went back to the back-office area, closed my door, and stare at the screen with anticipation. When I finally see the first batch of data popping up in my computer screen one line at a time. I felt so relieved knowing that I "cleaned up" one major redundant task. Next thought that goes through my head…

“What can I automate next?”

I think it was at this moment I consider myself a DIY Automator.

Looking back as a professional FileMaker developer now. The database sure wasn’t perfect, and I sure wasn’t a FileMaker wizard. I was just good enough with FileMaker that I can build myself a custom app that served its purpose - automate a repetitive task and save me hours of time. This gave me back the extra time to start “cleaning up” other areas in my work, turning it into a positive cycle of automation.

And with this course, I want to help you become a DIY Automator as well.

DIY Automator was built with business user in mind. If you are a person who works in business, who wants to learn the essential skill of FileMaker quickly to build custom database and automate your work. This is the course for you.

The course includes:

• Life time access to course content
• 30+ hours of detailed step by step video tutorial
• 30+ practical exercise files
• 6 months access to private Q&A group to get help with the course.
• All future updates to the course at no additional cost

DIY Automator is structured in a progressive learning curve. We start from simple fundamental concepts and work our way progressively towards advance automation technique. Each tutorial along the way will require you to work on practical exercise file to consolidate your learning.

Here are some main feature of this course

• Step by step progression to get you from beginner to DIY Automator
• Practical exercise file to practice your knowledge in an deliberate and efficient manner
• Simple language that people with no programming experience can understand
• Visual animation to explain abstract technical concept

Phase 1 - Fundamental Basics

The objective is to set a strong foundation knowledge of how FileMaker works, since many advance topic will only make sense if you know the basics. The general theme of this phase is to build a database that you can use manually, and store data in an organised way using simple relationships. Example of what we cover : Set up table & layout, how calculation works, beginner level relationship setting.

Phase 2 - Beginner Automation

The objective is to introduce the concept of scripting. Which is a powerful tool in FileMaker that will be your automation bread and butter. We will go through 3 weeks of intense scripting training to help you understand the most important basics of script. By the end of week 7, you will be able to create simple beginner level automation.

Phase 3 - Building Complete Database

The objective is to guide you through process of creating a complete database step by step from scratch. The final database will be a complete database with multiple modules in it (e.g. invoice, customer, inventory) and the modules will work cohesively with each other for maximum automation. Through the process you will learn how to combine what you learn from phase 1 & phase 2 and put it into business setting.

There's a good chance you know me from the Youtube channel “FileMaker Beginner” where I publish FileMaker tutorials for beginners. The channel had gain 3000+ subscribers in little more than a year, and consistently having videos on the top 5 result when you search "FileMaker" on Youtube, often with higher ranking than even videos from FileMaker Inc.

I would attribute the growth of the channel to my teaching style. As I was a beginner not long ago (2013), I understand with fresh memory what it's like to be a beginner struggling to learn FileMaker. As a result I put extra emphasis on making my tutorial as beginner friendly as possible.